A food service worker at Old Mill Tavern in Homosassa, Florida has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus). That person worked at that restaurant, located at 10465 West Yulee Drive in Homosassa, from January 19 through February 3, 2020.
It’s too late for anyone who ate at the Old Mill Tavern before January 27, 2020 to get vaccinated against the virus, since the vaccines are effective if given within two weeks of exposure. Those people should contact their doctors, and watch for the symptoms of hepatitis A.
A hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination is recommended for anyone who ate or drank at this restaurant between January 28 through February 3, 2020. If you have had the vaccine or have had a hepatitis A infection in the past your are considered immune and do not have to take action.
DOH-Citrus is offering the hepatitis A vaccine at no cost for anyone who ate or drank at this restaurant during the time frame in question on Monday, February 10, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. That facility is located at 3700 West Sovereign Path in Lecanto, Florida.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include sudden onset of abdominal pain, especially in the upper right quadrant, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, clay-colored stools, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes. These symptoms typically appear 15 to 50 days after exposure to the virus.
The government is encouraging all healthcare providers to stay alert and report any cases of hepatitis A to the health department. If you have questions about this issue, you can call 352-527-0068 to reach DOH-Citrus.
One of the issues with this virus is that people who are infected do not have any symptoms for two weeks. That means they can attend school and go to work thinking they are not sick. There is no cure for this illness once symptoms appear, but if you do get sick, see your doctor. Most people do recover, but some may need to be hospitalized because of serious complications such as issues with their liver.
